worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they â—ay have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in by the Gate into the City John 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already because c. Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his See also verse 4.5.7.14 2 Cor. 13.15 Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory See Eph. 2. What the Elect are before Conversion 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators And such were some of you But ye are washed ye are Sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Thes 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love Phil. 2.13 Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. Rev. 2 3. Read the promises to him that overcometh Mat. 6.19 20. Lay up for your selves a treasure in heaven Luke 16.9 Make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when you faâ—l they may receive you into the everlâ—sting habitations Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted But if thou c. Luke 13.3.5 Except ye repent ye shall all perish Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 5.9 He is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Luke 19.27 These mine Enemies that would not I should reign over them Heb. 10.33 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompense of reward 39. We are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul Mat. 18.32 35. O thou wicked Servant I forgave thee all that dâ—bt because c. so shall my heavenly Father do also to you if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses The Answer to all this by the Adversaries I. By the Infidels The Scripture is not the Word of God II. By the Mahometans in special The followers of Christ altered it III. By Papists Scripture is to us but what the Church declareth of it 1. The reading of it and rejecting supplemental Tradition by the Vulgar causeth heresies IV. By the Quaker It is the light within us that is our Rule V. The Enthusiasts or Fanaticks We must try Scripture by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the Scripture the Apostles Spirit by ours and not our low measure by theirs VI. The seekers The Scripture must first be recovered by a true Ministry VII The Cabbalist and Familist It is not to be understood Literally but Mystically VIII The Antinomian Libertine The written word or at least all that prescribeth duty and hath conditional promises is but a Covenant of works The Covenant of Grace is only the Spirits Effectual work I will and you shall A Breviate of the Doctrine of Justification Dilivered in many Books By RICHARD BAXTER In many Propositions And the Solution of 50 Controversies about it Written 1. To end such Controversies 2. To confute Rash Censurers and Errours 3. To inform the Ignorant 4. To procure Correction from wiser men if I mistake Occasioned by some mens Accusation of me to others that will not vouchsafe their Instruction to my self And by the Erroneous and dangerous Writings and Preachings of some well-meaning men such as Mr. Troughton c. who at once mistake and misreport God's Word and ours and fight in the dark against Christian Faith and Love LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1690. The Preface long ago written Reader IT was the Army and Sectarian Antinomians more fitly called Libertines who first called me in the year 1645. and 1646. to study better than I had done the Doctrine of the Covenants and Laws of God of Redemption and Justification I fetcht my first resolving thoughts from no Book but the Bible specially Mat. 5 and 6 and 25. Grotius de Satisfactione next gave me more light While I was considering many mens friendly Animadversions on my Apâ—orisms and answering some that more differed from each other than from me it increased light especially the Animadversions of Mr. George Lawson My Writings against the Antinomians had success beyond my expecâ—ations though some good men of the Party called Independent having more heat than light deceived by the notions of some that had spoken injudiciously before them cast out suspicions and contradictions in a jealousie that I encroached on the honour of Free Grace I mean such men as prefaced the Book called The Marrow of Modern Divinity which on pretence of Moderation is Antinomian or Libertine and very injudicious and unsound And others Books such as Paul Hobsons Mr. Saltmarshes Bunyan on the Covenants c. which ignorantly subverted the Gospel of Christ came out on the same business and revealed mens mistakes on pretence of revealing the Mystery of Free Grace John Goodwin was then and before publishing his Judgment of Justification and Mr. Walker and Mr. Roborough wrote against him with great disparity of light and strength But because J.G. turned to the Arminians prejudice cryed down his Doctrine of Justification and it was not all to be approved Mr. Gataker published many things to the like purpose and among the rest the Narrative of Mr. Wottons Case referred to many London Divines and decided by them Of my suspension of my Aphorisms and of my Contests with Mr. Craudon Mr. Eyres Mr. Warner and afterwards with Dr. Tully I need not here make particular mention The most that I converst with seemed of my Judgment The rest beside the Animadverters on my Aphorisms who freeliest spake of me behâ—â—d my back would none of them speak to me Vavasor Powel and Mr. Ed. Bagshaw were two of the chief Many worthy men published the same Doctrine which I assâ—rted especially Mr. Gibbons of Black-fryars in his Sermon in the Morning Lectures at St. Giâ—â—s Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge Mr. Hotchkâ—â— Mr. Thomas Warren Mr. Graile and Mr. Jeâ—â—op laboured to prove that Dr. Twisse meant the same who seems to speak for Eternal Immanent Justification And Mr. Truman and Lud. Le Blankes Theses at last came out after the Theâ—es Salmurienses and the Breme Divines Lud. Crocius Conrad Bergius and the Berlin Johan Bergius as clear as any But the practice of some who wanted the humility and â—iliâ—ence which were necessary to learn the Truths which they knew not was just the same with that of the Prelates in Councils for a thousand years even to put it to the Vote of mâ—n of their own mind or to lean on the names of some of their Predecessors who were men of note and especially to cry down those that heard them not
Grace made with Adam and Noah the Covenant of Preculianity with Aâ—rahâ—m the Political Law of Mosâ—s to the Jews and the Law or Covenant of Christ of Grace of Faith by which Christ doth Govern and will Judge his visible Church Get unstudied dull heads but to understand these four distinctions and you cure them without a new regeneration And doth not this prove that they are Godly To instance no more but in the first an Antecedent Surety is either 1. A party in the Bond 2. Or an Instrument of the party Bound 1. If two persons be bound disjunâ—tively this or that to a Duty or a Penalty the bond is answered if either of them perform it If the Law to Adam had either said thou or Christ for thee shalt perfectly Obey shalt dress the Garden shalt take Eve for thy Wife or that thou or Christ shall suffer for not doing it then Christ's performance had antecedently freed us from Guilt and Punishment 2. Or if the Law had said or meant thou shalt Obey or Suffer by thy self or by thy substitute or pâ—r alium as a man may pay his debt by his Servant or appear by his Attourney then Christ's Righteousness or Suffering would have proved us guiltless But a subsequent Surety who after the guilt doth voluntarily as a Mediator undertake the discharge of the guilty is no strict or absolute Representative but as a Mediator purchaseth the Captive to receive his Grace on the terms and to the ends which by a Law or Covenant of Grace the Mediator shall appoint CHAP. IV. My Reasons against a tedious needlâ—ss Câ—nfutâ—tiâ—n Sect. 1. THE chief thing that I intended next to be done that is To Confute the Hundred Errors before named I am on further thoughts discouraged from performing 1. Because upon perusal I find that I have already done it so oft and largly in many Books unanswered that repetition is like to be disgracefully nauseous 2. And they that will neither answer nor read what I have written 34 years ago or 20 are not like to read what I shall write now In my Confession of Fâ—ith Printed 1655. I have so largely opened this Controversy about Justification Faith and Works in necessary distinctions and many score self-evident Propositions and many score Arguments and abundance of express Texts of Scripture and above an hundred Testimonies of Protestant Churches Confessions and eminent Divines that I find very little needful to be added And why should I think they will read more that will not read that In my Apologies I have Answered them that have opposed and have had no reply In my Treatise of Justification I have done it over again In my Catholick Theology I have thrice over-done the same by Explication and Confutation distinctly In my Treatise of Justifying Righteousness in a Disputation and an Answer to Dr. Tully and to Mr. Cartwright I have done the same perhaps too largly In my Methodus Theologiae I have opened the Case methodically and briefly In my Life of Faith I have clearly explained it And must I expect no Answer and yet do all again 2. But my great disswasive is that it will swell the Book to so great a magnitude that few will read it should I cite all or moâ—â— of the plain Texts of Scripture that confute them how great a part of the Bible must I Transcribe Yet do they lay Salvation on points that no one Text of Scripture mentioneth Sect. 2. 1. If I should cite all the Texts that prove that we are truly Sinners though Christ hath been a Sacrifice for our sin and that the guilt of Fact and Fault on us is not taken off by Christ's taking the penalty but we are verily sinners still How great a part of the Bible may I recite to prove it Sect. 3. 2. If I must prove that Christ is and was no sinner by true imputation of our sin as to the guilt of Fact or Fault but only as a Sacrifice bear the Penalty it would be a reproach to the Adversaries to need a Confutation of their Blasphemy and all the Gospel would confute them Sect. 4. 3. Should I cite all the Texts that prove us to need and have an Inherent and Acted Righteousness by Grace besides Christs Personal Righteousness Meriting for us above six hundred Texts of Scripture expresly prove it and how tedious and needless a work is this Sect. 5. 4. Should I prove that All Righteousness so far maketh Righteous and that making Righteous is a Justifying which goeth before Judging us Righteous and that it is a putid contradiction to say that any Righteousness doth not make Righteous in tantum School-boys would turn it into a derision of the opposers Sect. 6. 5. Should I prove by Argument that no Accident can by ye same numerically in divers Subjects nor traâ—siâ—â— a Subjecto in Suâ—jectum and so the Habit Act and Relation of Righteousness in Christ's Person cannot â—n it self be our Habit Act or Relation unless our Persons and Christ's be really the same every novice in Logick would be too much occasioned to insult over the ignorant gain-sayer Sect. 7. 6. Should I prove that to Justify Efficiently by making Righteous and to Justify Constitutively being our Righteousness and to Justify by Plea or by Witness or by Evidence and to Justify in Estimation or Account and to Justify by decisive Sentence of a Judge and to Justify Executively and to Justify privately in Conscience and to Justify publickly before Rulers or the World or more publickly at the Bar of God are several sences of the Word Justification and several sorts what man of sense would not pity the Confounder that denyeth it and talk as if the Word had but one sence Sect. 8. 7. Should I prove that by Imputing Paul meaneth truly accounting a man Just that is so reckoning that to him which he hath and not feigning him to have what he hath not even Dr. Crispe hath spared me that labour venturing to say that the contrary sence of Imputing maketh God a Lyar or deceived God never judged a man Righteous that was not first made so Sect. 9. 8. Should I prove that by Works Paul meaneth those that make not the Reward of Grace but of Debt and James meaneth those that are â—he effects of Free Grace and purely subordinate to Christ as commanded by him the express Texts do make it needless Sect. 10. 9. Should I prove that Christ is our King and Ruleth and Judgeth by his own Law and hath not made us Lawless and all Judgment on Rule is now committed to him and that the very Law of Nature is now his Law and also the Law of Sâ—pernatural Revelation called by Paul the Law oâ— Christ the Law of Faith and of Grâ—â—â— and by James the Law of Liberty the whole scope of the Gospel sâ—veth me that labour Sect. 11. 10. Should I prove that Christ in â—sse objectivo as the Object of Faith is the very specifying form of that Faith
THE Scripture Gospel defended AND Christ Grace and Free Justification Vindicated Against the Libertines Who use the names of CHRIST FREE GRACE and JUSTIFICATION to subvert the Gospel and Christianity and that Christ Grace and Justification which they in zealous Ignorance think they plead for to the injury of Christ the danger of Souls and the scandalizing of the weak the insulting of Adversaries and the Dividing of the Churches Yet charitably differencing the wordy Errours of unskilful Opiniaters from their Practical Piety And the mistaken Notions of some Excellent Divines from the gross Libertine Antinomian Errours In Two Books The first A Breviate of Fifty Controversies about Justification written about thirteen years past and cast by till now after many provocations by Press Pulpit and Backbiting The second upon the sudden reviving of Antinomianism which seemed almost extinct near Thirty four years And the re-printing of Dr. Crisp's Sermons with Additions with twelve Reverend Names prefixed for a decoy when some of them abhor the Errour of the Book and know not what was in it but yielded by surprize only to declare that they believed him that told them that the Additions were a true Copy By RICHARD BAXTER an Offender of the Offenders of the Church by Defending the Truth and Duty which they fight against Lux oculos vexat ubi noctua luminis osor Putrida suspecti vexabunt ulcera tactus LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1690. HEB. 11.5 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Luke 19.17 Well thou good Servant Because thou hast been faithful in a very little have thou Authority over ten Cities So Mat. 25.21 Mat. 25.34 40 46. Inherit the Kindgom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World For I was hungry and ye gave me Meat In as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it to me And these shall go into Everlasting Punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal Gen. 22.16 17 18. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Son c. John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and have believed that I came out from God 1 John 3.12 13. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight and this is his Commandment that we believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and Love one another Rev. 3.4 They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience I will keep thee c. Mar. 7.29 For this saying go thy way the Devil is gone out c. Mat. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 12.36 37. Every idle Word that Men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment For by thy Words thou shalt be Justified and by thy Words thou shalt be Condemned Jam. 2.24 You see then that by Works a man is Justified and not by Faith only So v. 13. to the end Rom. 8.29 30. Whom he foreknew them he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren And whom he did predestinate them he also called And whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them be also glorified Luke 18.13 14. I tell you This man went down Justified rather than the other Prov. 17.15 He that Justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the Just even they both are abomination to the Lord. Of Faith imputed to Righteousness and our being Justified by Faith See Rom. 3.30 26. Rom. 4.11 22 23 24. He that considereth the different sence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first usually signifying the Practical or Preceptive matter that is Righteousness the second Active efficient Justification and the third the State of the Just Qualitative or Relative or ipsam Justitiam will the better expound the Word Justification as it is in our Translations Rom. 4.24 25. For us also to whom it shall be imputed not is before we believe if a Conditional we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Justification Not only obeyed and suffered for our Justification but was raised for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 efficiently to make us just relatively and qualitatively and so to justify us and consequently to judge us just Exodus 23.7 I will not justify the wicked Obj. Rom. 4 5. He justifieth the ungodly Answ Yes By making him Just by Pardon Adoption and Godliness As he healeth the sick and raiseth the dead in sensu diviso Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins 13.38 By him all that believe are Justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses See Titus 3.6 7. 1 Cor. 6.8 9 10 11. Rom. 2.13 14. 1 Peter 1.16 17. 2 Co◠9.6 Rev. 20.12 13. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works c. Which is oft said in Scripture John 5.22.29 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath given him authority to Execute Judgment They that have Done Good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of damnation 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all that love his appearing See Heb. 6.10 1 Cor. 15.58 Col. 3.24 Heb. 11.26 2. Thes 1.5 6 7. Mat. 5.12 Mat. 6.2.4.6 5.12 10.41.42 10.29 1 Cor. 9.17 Rom. 2.5.10 Mat. 7.4 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness So Rom. 10.10.13 Mat. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you But if ye forgive not men Neither will 1 Joh. 3.17 Let no man deceive you He that doth Righteousness is Righteous Isa 1.16 17 18. Cease to do evil c. Come now If your sins be red as crimson Isa 55.6 7. Seek the Lord while he may be found c. Let the wicked forsake his way c. Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him c. Acts 10.35 In every nation he that feareth God and
And lately came out a Book of one Mr. Troughtons of the same temper with the rest He allarmeth the Nation as if the Enemy were at the Gates He is a man that hath been blind from his Infancy or early Childhood and I suppose never read a Book but hath had some one to read to him and he undertaketh to tell the sense of Protestant Writers and Fathers and the words and sense of Mr. Hotchkis and me and such others whom be fiercely assaulteth as his and the Churches Adversaries And the good man heapeth up untrâ—â—â—s in matter of fact in false reciting his Adversaries words and sense Besides his Libertine false Doctrine as that the Covenant or Promise of Justification hath no Conditions no not Faith and such like and abuseth the Authors whom he citeth I thought once to have bestowed two or three days work in answering him but I desisted partly because he was one of those that had written at the rate of some former Adversaries who had so formed their Assaults that they had left me little to answer but a Mentiris which is so unpleasing a task that they that most deserve it cannot bear it And it hath been my lot since 1662. in which the powerful Ringleader Morley began to have so many such Books written against me and such reports divulged of me as if the Devil had been studying to prove Rom. 3.4 that every man is a Lyar to be true in a sense beyond the meaning and to bring all History at least of Disputers into discredit and to make it become a valid consequence It is said and written by a domineering or an ambitious or an erroneous or angry Adversary Ergo it is false And also I was loth to say that against the man that his Book required For I hear he is a very honest man and not only blind but a sufferer for Nonconformity with the rest and when he was a Child his Grand-father Grand-mother and other kindred in Coventry were my hearers and loving friends and godly people His Father and Mother my very near Neighbours and weekly and almost daily company have asked my Counsel what they should do with a blind Boy that was much inclined to Learning and I encouraged them to further him not foreseeing his snares 3. And I perceive that judicious Readers have no need of an Antidote against so weak a Poison He that gave me the Animadversions answered in the end told me He had scarce patience to read him And as to those that are so weak as to need an answer to such a Book it 's like they are too weak to understand one or will think him in the right that hath the last word and that may be he that liveth longest The great fault of the good man is that which is too predominant in all Cases in corrupted Nature even an unhumbled understanding which doth not sufficiently suspect it self much less is acquainted with its own Ignorance but when it most mistaketh doth most confidently rage Who would think that such a man could be ignorant how unfit he was who never saw their Books to undertake such account as he giveth of Fathers Protestant Writers or us his chosen Adversaries When his Reader hath read to him some parcels of our Writings how knoweth he what he omitteth or what explications he never read And how uncapable must his memory needs be of retaining and laying all together out of so many Volumes and making a charge and passing a Judgment thereupon unless his memory be greater far than Bishop Hall saith Dr. John Reynolds reading and memory was next to a Miracle which his gross falsifications shew that it is not And 4. I found so many ready to write on the same Subject for my sense that I the more thought it needless to my self Sir Charles Wolsley hath lately done it very judiciously I have lately perused divers Manuscripts that are such prepared for the Press One of Mr. William Mannings another of Mr. Clerke Son to Mr. Samuel Clerke and Dr. Twisse hath a Latine Disputation to the same sense and some more all Nonconformists But yet I still hear some London Brethren use to cast out their suspicions aspersions and censures behind my back and some in their Conferences when they meet Whereupon I drew up this Paper of Explicatory Propositions and Controversies only to let them truly know my sense and long after gave it that honest Dr. Annesley at whose house sometimes some meet of different Judgments in such things desiring him but to get it read to them and to procure me their Animadversions on what they did any of them disâ—ike instead of their unprofitable Obloquy when I cannot hear them for this I should take for a great brotherly kindness But it is now near a twelve month that I have waited in hope of it but cannot procure a word to this day which maketh me think it needful to publish that which I intended but for their private view Yet one that to me profâ—ssed dissent seemed to take it well that I intreated his Reasons and promised to give them me but never did Nor hath any one yet answered 1. My Confession 2. My Disputations of Justification 3. My Apology to many 4. My small Tract of Saving Faith to Bishop Barlow 5. My Treatise of Justifying Righteousness to Dr. Tully This week an honest judicious moderate Friend that is more a Consenter than a Dissenter as far as I can judge sent me the Notes which I answer in the latter end as partly his own and partly others which not as opposing them but as tending to elucidate the whole Cause I here adjoyn though all or most here said is said elsewhere before which I mention lest you think that I took all for his own Opinion which he cited out of Dr. Owen who himself reformed much of his former Judgment about Doctrine and Government before he died The Lord heal his Church by Light Love and Humility which is torn by Ignorance Uncharitableness and Pride Amen The Prologue § 1. THE Doctrine of the Justification of sinful man by Christ as our Redeemer Saviour and Judge is of so great moment that it should be Skilfully taught to all that are Catechised And yet by the Unskilfulness of Teachers is become a foot-ball of Strife and Contention and of Wrathful Censures and Reproach among those who are most zealous for the safe and honourable preservation of it and really differ more in the Terms and Methods which they think must preserve it than in the inward practical sense of the matter itself § 2. Two things constitute this itch or leprosy rather of strife which experience maketh us fear is uncurable And these two are one Ignorance Ignorance of the case And Ignorance of our Ignorance But what Ignorance is it I am grieved to know and speak it It is Ignorance of words or the art of speaking of Grammar and Logick O what a plague did Nimrod bring on the World
Christ for our sins the curse threatned to us and as the last objecter saith eternal damnation equivalently And so we had sin and no sin And Christ must die and we must pray for the pardon of that sin which in Gods account or imputation we never had VI. When the Text tells us that Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness that Righteousness is imputed to believers that is They are accounted righteous according to the justifying Covenant of Grace upon their believing in Christ for his meritorious Righteousness and Sacrifice giving them by the new Covenant their gracious relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost with right to further Grace and Glory they tell us that by Faith is not meant Faith but Christs Righteousness and by Righteousness imputed to us is meant God 's accounting us to have done all that Righteousness by Christ which he did for us Many more such humane inventions corrupting our Faith at least in notion too many fight for as if they were necessary truths of God Postscript REader the Author of the following objections is Mr. Stephen Lob I had thought not to have named him till I saw but Yesterday his Books of Free Grace which I never before heard of though it was printed almost ten year ago It is so considerable a confutation of Antinomian errours that I commend it to thy reading And being my self in great pain expecting death and like to write in these Controversies no more that I have once more as a Speculator or Watchman blown the Trumpet to warn men of the danger of the Other Gospel that subverteth the Gospel of Christ I have this Peace of Conscience that the blood of the seduced will not be required at my hands And if that M.S. of Mr. Stone of New-England which Mr. Lob so praiseth may by him be yet recovered I intreat his endeavour In which I cannot doubt but Mr. Increase Mather will assist him tho his name be prefixt among the twelve And I commend to some honest Bookseller to reprint Mr. Thomas Welds History of the New-England Antinomian Libertinism it being out of press And I hereby intreat Mr. William Manning of Suffolk if living to Print the excellent Treatise of Justification of his which I have long ago read And Mr. Samuel Clerk Author of the Annot. to Print his sound Treatise which I long ago read on the same Subject And though my own Judgment be for the Imputation of Christs Passive Active and Habitual righteousness dignified by the Divine as the full and the sole meritorious cause of all Grace and Glory as making up the condition of his Mediatorial Covenant imposed on him by God Yet I intreat the Learned Reader to peruse the Writings of those great Divines that are for the Imputation of the Passive only Ursine Olevan Paraeus Scultetus Wendeline Beckman and the rest with Camero Placaeus and all that party of famous French Divines who all effectually confute the false sense of Imputation of the Active Righteousness which Mr. Bradshaw confuteth with many others as if we had done it by Christ and were our selves the Subjects of it and are justified by that Law that condemneth us Jan. 20. 1690. R.B. An Answer to some Animadversions of a Friend tending to the further explication of some passages which through brevity were not understood § 1. SIR Your notes have so much Judgment and moderation and so little if any thing contrary to what I assert that they require nothing from me but a repeated explication of that which you observed not as before explained But when it is enough for me to explain my own Words and Doctrine you put me on another task to seek after the explication of another mans which I am not obliged to on any account but for your Satisfaction It is enough for me to speak true Doctrine in the most intelligible manner that I can without examining whether other mens expressions be sound or apt § 2. I begin with your own Notes And 1. I hope that few are so ignorant that meddle in these matters as to doubt of what you say that no one term much less one Metaphor or similitude can adequately express any of the Mysteries of Grace and no one Metaphor must be carried too far Omne simile est etiam dissimile And all set together so far as they are thereto intended must instruct us § 3. I know none but the Socinians that think a Mediator and a Sponsor inconsistent or deny Christ to be a Sponsor And methinks your words for their consistency import a greater difference between them than there is It is part of Christs Mediation to be a Sponsor These terms therefore express no difference but between the whole and the part But what a Sponsor Christ is is all the doubt which I a little opened and you pass by It is not agreed by expositors what the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth in that one only place of Scripture where it is used Very learned expositors think that as Moses was called Gods Mediator or Sponsor to the people as being his Spokesman and in his name assuring them that this was Gods Covenant which he would perform and returning the peoples answer to God and praying for them but not undertaking for them and personating them so Christ is here likened to him and called the Mediator and Sponsor of the new and better Covenant not as he personateth or undertaketh for Covenanting Subjects but only as he representeth God the Father to man and is his Sponsor to us But as Paul saith he is not a Mediator of one so I see not but though chiefly he be Gods Sponsor to man yet withal he be there called a Sponsor also as well as a Mediator for man to God But all the doubt is what a Sponsor for man he is And first we must enquire what Covenant he is a Sponsor of No doubt but Gods Covenant with the Mediator as such is one and Gods and the Mediators Covenant with man solemnized in baptism is another And yet no doubt but these two have such relation as that in some sort or respect they may be called one He that saith they are not two is plainly confuted by the constitutive defining parts the Divers Parties Matter Terms and Ends. It was not said to Christ but by Christ Repent and believe in Christ or be damned Pardon and Salvation are not offered to Christ to be received by Faith in himself Yet as the Laws of the Land though several are One Instrumentum Regiminis So we call all the Laws of Nature usually singularly The Law of Nature and so we say The Civil Law the Canon Law Gods Law c. Now the question is what Covenant Christ was the Sponsor of 1. In his own proper Covenant he did Spondere praestare to suffer for us and to obey for us in the just sence in due place explained to rise and ascend for us to intercede for us to
good men as Mr. Fowler and Mr. Cole by telling the World how unstudied and yet how confident they have been in some points But he did worse in citing Dr Manton that incurr'd their Censure for defending me in that very Pulpit where he saith I Preach'd against such accusers as he and was wholly of my judgment And reciting Arch-Bishop Usher who perused my Confession written against the Antinomians and altered not a word in it before I published it I got him and Mr. Gataker to read it and it was the last Work that Mr. Gataker did in the World as his Epistle and his Sons shew Had the Prefacer read but that one Book my Confession written in 1655. and there the explications of the Coâ—troversies and the many score plain Texts and Arguments and the hundred Testimonies of Synod and Protestant Divines for the Doctrine which I defend and specially if he have read my Explication of all these Controversies in my Catohlick Theology and Methodus and Dispute of Justification and of Justifying Righteousness and yet hâ—d call'd for an answer to Mr. Cole or Mr. Fowler I should have told him that he and such as he are too hard or deaf for me to answer But he impertinently citeth other men that say we are justified by Free Grace and the Righteousness of Christ and not by Works as if he would falsly intimate that I deny it when I neither trust to nor know any Righteousness that is not meerly subordinate to the Rigâ—teousness of Christ and take his Righteousness Habunâ—l Active and Passive to be the only and perfect Meritorious Cause of our Justification and Salvation of Grace and Glory And I wonder not that Paul counted his own Righteousâ—ess by the â—aw to be dung in compaâ—ison of being found in Christ having his Righteoâ—sness But I abhor the opinion that Câ—rist's Righteousness given us is all without us and none within us when Christ dwelleth in us as if 600 Texts of Scripture were all false that speak of the necessity of an inherent and actâ—ve Righteousness I abhor the opinion of any works necessary to Justification or Salvation or to any common Blessings in the sense of Paul such as make the reward to be of Debt and not of Grace I think few men living are less tempted to magnify or trust to any worth of thâ—ir own than I am I look not for a bit of Bread or an hâ—urs Ease or Life or the Pardon or Acceptance of one Duty or of my Holiest Affections so faulty are they by their great Imperfection but meerly from the Free Grace of God and the Merits and Intercession of Christ But should I take all for Errour that this Preface reciteth as such and all for truth that Dr. Crispe and such men write I should look for wiser men than him or Mr. Cole to Anathematize me rather as an Anti-Gospeller than a meer Antinomian And I am the sorryer for the prefixing of tâ—e Twelve Reverend Names when I find by their Epistles that they had read this Preface so full of false Citations and gross Errour and say not a word against it nor against such a Book Mr. Cockain in his Epistle directing it to them that live Godly in Christ Jesus tâ—lls them that the Kingdom of God within them shall never be shaken and the Divine Nature that hath swallowed them up shall for ever satisfy them with variety of Contentments And is not that ours which is within us And is this Kingdom and Divine Nature nothing but that which Christ did without us imputed to be done by us And if this be no subordinate Righteousness what doth the word signify so many hundred times used in the Scripture Let them but grant Justification by Faith and let them assign Faith what Office therein they can reasonably imagine without flat denying all Pauls Doctrine and they will confute Dr. Crispe Say but that Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness and give not the lye to Paul and sure we shall be reconciled But if they will tell us that by Faith Paul meaneth not Faith but Christ's Righteousness they must prove that they have more than a Papal Power to make God's Word by making the Sense when God maketh but the Letter before we can renounce the Scripture and believe them And yet if they will expound Imputation soberly we shall grant them the matter that Christ's Righteousness is accounted to us of God as the only Meritorious Cause of our Justification and Salvation tho' we believe that by Faith Paul meaneth Faith But if they still say that by Faith is meant only the Object of Faith and not the Act could we but get them to forbear Anathematizing Men for being so Learned as to understand English we might yet hope at least to keep the flame of their Zeal out of the thatch within the Chimney by telling them the difference between the Object of Faith as such and the person that is the Object otherwise considered In real Existence Christ tho' not yet believed in is the sole meritorious Cause But it is only in esse cognito that Christ is the Object of Faith And School-Boyes that have no damnable Learning may teach these confident men that the Object as an Object believed is the very form in specie of the Act of Faith It is an Act without it but not this Act viz. the Christian Faith As sin in esse reall is damning but in esse cognito objectivo it is the form of the Grace of Repentance so is it here But if they will grant that by Faith is meant Faith and not say that Paul condemneth Justification by Faith as being but Justification by Works let them but tell us how it justifieth I say not efficiently at all but only as a meer receptive qualification If they say as an Efficient Instrument they give it much more than I do and lay it on the Act or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere as they speak For what else is the Instrument I hope they mean not that Christ and his Righteousness is but the Instrument But of this more after I thought it meet to have recited many hundred Texts of Scripture which they directly contradict which good Men should rather believe than them But if the Reader will peruse my Confession he will find it there done already And I thought it necessary to commend the good Lives of many of them excepting the Schism and Vnrighteousness that Faction doth involve them in lest the Grosness of their Verbal Errours which come from unskilfulness in Words and Methods should tempt many to judge of the Men by their Words and Opinions and should harden the malignant to justifie all their hard Censures and Vsage of the Non-Conformists for their sakes And yet Mr. Crispe is one of my sharp Censurers for charitably excusing Men from lesser Errours than his own while he falsifyeth my Words about our difference with the Papists I have said oft and long agoe that
justifying is not making Righteous therefore making Righteous is no Justifying nor any part of it It s a shame to stay to cite many â—â—xts â—gaiâ—st these men where the whole Bible but especially all Christ's own Preaching and Parables are so expresly against thâ—m that I admire with what fâ—ce thâ—se men prâ—fess to believe the Scripture And I wâ—nâ—er not that some of them say that all the wâ—â—ttâ—â— Word is a Covenant of Works aâ—d oâ—ly the Spirits iâ—waâ—d Work is the Covenant of Grace And whâ—n they tell us as Crispe p. 242. Vol. 1. Ed. 1. That for any hurt that such sins can do us it is not possible for Christ hath made satisfaction I wonder why they preach against that which doth no hurt and why tâ—ey excommunicate men for sin and why they scruple Perjury Liturgies Parish-Communion or any Point of Conformity yea why some of them will suffer rather than conform when it is impossible for any sin to hurt them Why do your hearers pay you for Preaching against a harmless thing Why make you so much Complaint against Vnreformeâ—ness Sin doth God no hurt it doth not the Elect any hurt by your Doctrine for Christ hath satisfied and born all And the Reprobate are uncapable of good for want of satisfaction for them I pray you do not speak out this Doctrine to the World If you do I shall be glad that you are confined to your seduced ignorant Congregations If you will tell the World If you are elect no sin can possibly hurt you whatever Murders Adulteries Perjuries you commit it is none of your sin but Christs It cannot be his and yours too and if not elect you have no hope and if you be elect you will be never the better for praying considering charity or any Act of Religion or Justice which you do nor must once think to gain any thing by it How many Converts is this like to make And what would such a Nation come to I hope few of the publick Preachers that you call scandalous preach so scandalously as this I have one Request to you that if you or any other be questioned by the judges for Murder Adultery False-witness Perjury or Robbery you will not say as Dr. Crispe hath taught you I am no Murderer Adulterer perjured Robber c. It is Christ that is such a one and not I it cannot be my sin when he hath made it his for I doubt neither the Judges or Jury well believe you If you believe not we ask the Judges whether it be you or Christ that is the sinner I doubt it is you that will be hang'd If you say for what may not ignorance say That it is not at the Bar of man but of God only that Christ is the sinner and not we I Answer Know you not that Judges and Princes are God's Officers and that the Judgment is the Lords and that what they do according to his Will he doth by them He doth not command Rulers to hang men for a sin that is none of theirs All mens Judgments are Nullities that are against the fore-known Judgment of God It is the King that punisheth when the hangman executeth God punisheth men by Rulers and doth it righteously I write all this the rather because Mr. Cokain in his Preface exhorteth Preachers to go on where the Dr. left I humbly beseech them first to read and believe Mat. 5. 6. and 7 8. and 13.18.25 and all the Sermons and Parables of Christ and not downright to give him the Lie and call it exalting him And for them that report that there are no such Words in Dr. Crispe as I report I wonder not while they think that lying can do them no hurt and is not their sin but Christs And they that believe they are under no Law may believe that they have no Transgression nor Christ for them when they had never any And to them that talk of inherent Righteousness as less necessary than God hath made it I desire them but to mark what Christ saith of it and to remember that sin is much of Hell and holiness of Heaven And that Christ came to save his People from their sins as more righteous than the Scribes and Pharisees inhâ—rently and to make them a peculiar People zealous of good Works and holy as God is holy and to bethink them whether to disgrace the Building be to honour the Architect and whether the â—orth or the worthlesness of the Work more honour the Work-men and whether the Cure of the Sick dishonour the Physitian And whether to say that my Clock or Watch will go by artificial means or only no longer than the Work mans-Finger only moveth it do more honour the Artist And whether the Psalms would so much call us to glorifie God for his Works if all that is ascribed to his Works were taken from his Honour The Lord teach us better to understand that Word that maketh the simple wise and not to set Christ against himself and against his own Honours Government and Laws A Defence of Christ AND Free Grace c. Chap. 1. Prefatory Ortho. Sir Having my self and the Congregation which I am Related to been in danger of the Errours called Antinomian I wrote to you to intreat you who have done so much heretofore to Conquer and Extirpate those Errours to get the London Ministers to publish their Judgments against Dr. Crispe 's Book and such others now Re-printed and rising up with re-newed danger Reconcil You did so and I answered you 1. That I thought it not seasonable till the acceptance and success of that Book and such others made our danger so notorious and great as would clearly justify our Confutation I have written on that Subject so much already 1. In my Confession of Faith 2. In my Apologies against Mr. Craudâ—n Mr. Aaires and others 3. In my Disputations of Justification 4. In my Life of Faith 5. In my Justifying Righteousness and there against Dr. Tully and my last Animadversions on Mr. Cartwright 6. In my Catholâ—ck Theolâ—gy especially the five last Chapters 7. And in my Methodus Theologiae All which are unanswered to this day that I know not why I should be forward to write much more For they that will not read this that hath been so long written are not like to read it if I yet write more And I am so fearful of stirring up the hidden spark of this mischief that having written Fourteen Years ago a short Decision of a multitude of these Controversies I suspended it lest it should kindle New Oppositions 2. And I told you that we have now such publick and dangerous Controversies about Royalty Prelacy Conformity c. that it is very unseasonable to make a noise of the Errours and Factions among the Tolerated though they should somewhat increase by advantage of our silence till we see what publick settlement there will be 3. And I confess I have an opinion that accidentally the Books
it self and so that to be Justified by the Object as such and not by that Faith it self is a notorious putid Contradiction or should I stand to prove that Faith it self is said by Paul to be Imputed for Righteousness in meer subordination to the meritorious Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ and in conjunction with Free Pardon and Adoption purchased by Christ how needless a work is this made by the Text Sect. 12. 11. Should I stand to prove that Elect Infidels Atheists or wicked Men are not Justified while such save as God maketh them Just by Conversion Pardon all the Scripture tell us it is needless and that Eternal Electing to Justification is not Justifying nor yet Christs dying for us till He be given to us as well as for us Sect. 13. 12. Should I stand to prove that men shall be judged according to their Works and that God is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him and that Christ hath frequently promised Rewards and that the same Salvation which as to Value is no Debt but meerly a Free Gift of Grace through Christ is yet as to the Order of Conveyance given on Condition as a Reward that Fatherly Love may attain its ends by Saptential means and not only by Power Morally producing Moral Effects in conjunction with Love and Power and thus that the pardoning and saving Acts of the Covenant impose Conditions as receptive qualifications which yet are all the Effects of Grace the whole Scripture maketh this a needless task Sect. 14. 13. Should I prove the distinctness 1. Of the Law and Covenant of Innocency 2. And of the Law and Covenant of Mediation And 3. Of the Mediators Law and Covenant of Grace imposed on us and sealed in Sacraments and that the same is both a Law and Covenant and that the Covenant of Grace is the Instrumental Gift of Pardon and Justification How much of the Bible must I transcribe Sect. 15. The like I may say of most of the rest which I doubt I have been too large in proving in all the six or seven or eight Books before named I thought also to have distinctly answered thâ— Printed Pinners-Hall Lecture but he that cannâ—â— find it more than fully answered in the foresaid Books either never read them or Answers to such a man will be vain And I am sorry that the same hand in another Lecture elsewhere publisheth that That any are brought to believe in Jesus is as great a Miracle as the Resurrection of Christ from the dead p. 223. And after There is not a greater Instance of the Power of God in the whole World than this in bringing over the heart of a sinner to believe in Christ It grieveth my Soul to think what Scandals are thus given by good Men to Papists Infidels and prejudiced Scorners and what work they will make with it No doubt but Faith is a great and difficult Work and wrought by Almighty Power For God hath no other Power but Omnipotency omnis Dei Potentia est Omnipotentia quia Infinita Gods Power is his Essence But the Instances and Demonstrations of it are as various as the Effects Your Finger or Tongue moveth not but by Omnipotency But every Motion or Fly is not as great an Instance or Demonstration of Power as Faith is Nor Faith so great an Instance as the making of Angels Men Heaven and Earth Sun Moon and Stars their Natures Motion and Order Divines have hitherto taught that Power is eminently manifested in Creation and Natural Preservation tho' with Wisdom and Lâ—ve and Wisdom Eminently manifested in Government and Love in Glorifying tho' they were conjunct in each Man cannot work Miracles and that so great And I do not believe that God damneth all unbelievers as for want of an Act as great as the motion of the Sun or making the World And if it be a Miracle and as great a one as Christ's Resurrection How can any believer doubt at all Why was Christ's Resurrection Preached by the Apostles so much as the Proof of the Truth of Christianity and not the Faith of every believer Then we need not go far to prove the Christian Vâ—â—ity Every poor Boy or Woman that believeth hath the fullest Proof and as great and miraculous as Christ's Resurrection Why send we not Infidels and Doubters to this Miracle which is about them in all ages in thousands Over-doing is undoing And yet no doubt the Author saith truly that Faith in Christ is so hard a Work that he that never found it hard hath none or hath it but in the seed and yet unrooted or untryed But alas Infidels find it too hard to them To conclude Instead of the larger part of the Proof or Confutations which I intended 1. I shall with this Annex a brief Treatise resolving a multitude of Controversies about Justification which I have laid by about Fifteen Years 2. I refer you to the foresaid former perforformance of it 3. Were I not disabled by Pain and the approaches of Death I would be ready to Answer any sober rational Objector A Post-script Sect. 1. WHereas divers say they were drawn in to prenx their Names to this Drs. Book because they were told that the Errours were expunged Upon perusal I find that it is no such matter but in Vol. 3. Ser. 3 4. c. the Author rather more frequently inculcateth the worst of them viz. That sin cannot hurt any that are Elect or that Christ dyed for And that in 1. Joh. It is a powerful means to kâ—ep thâ—m from sinning to believe that if they sin it can do them no hurt Sect. 2. The Text drew him to use the Name of sinning I write to you that you sin not But did not the Contradiction of it to his Doctrine convince him while he read the Text against sinning judge whether he took not the thing to be impossible He saith Tho' such do Murder commit Adultery Blasphemy Idolatry or any such thing they are no Murderers Adulterers c. or Sinners because it is Christ's sin and not theirs and cannot be his and theirs too so that they may live in the Act but cannot sin Object But it was their sin once before it was Christs sin Answ No He saith that it was Christ's sin if not from Eternity at least above Sixteen Hundred Years before we were born And he that had no being could have no sin And Gods fore-knowledge of future sin maketh not sin Nay he could not fore-know that which would never be so that indeed Christ could not take our sin as his which was not ours nor ever would be at all And if he had yet I hope they will not say that now in Heaven he is the greatest sinner And so there neither was nor is any sin in us or Christ Sect. 3. But as he repeateth this Errour I will repeat my Lamentations and Warning to this tempted Sect. Hear it as Speculatoris Tubam the Watch-mans Trumpet that would
deliver if it may be more than his own Soul 1. Is it possible that that which is evil and the greatest evil it self can be in us and done by us and do us no hurt 2. Can that do no hurt to the Elect that maketh such calamitous Confusions in the World What that which filleth the Earth with the darkness of Ignorance Idolatry Infidelity bloody Wars Persecutions Torments Flames Famine Malignity and yet do no hurt to any that are Elect no not while they are such themselves 3. Did Paul call himself mad against the Saints unworthy to be called an Apostle a wretched man for that which did him no hurt 4. Did David write all the lamenting Words of Psal 51. and many others and Asaph Psal 77 c. for that which did them no hurt 5. Did God pronounce all the Curses Lev. 26. and Deut. 27. c. against that sin that will not hurt the Elect that then lived 6. Are the recitals of the Jews sins and punishments Psal 78. and 105 106. c. of things that cannot hurt the Elect 7. Did God send the Jews into Captivity to Babylon for sins that do the Elect no hurt even for penitent Manasses's sins 8. Are all God's threatnings in the whole Scripture even such as Christ's Words Joh. 15. Heb. 6. Heb. 10. and Rev. 2 and 3. against things that are so harmless Must we serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear because he is a consuming Fire and because it is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God if no sin can possibly do us any hurt 9. Doth not this opinion contradict every Article of the Creed every Petition in the Lords Prayer and everyone of the Ten Commandements 10. If it be no hurt to be tormented with possessions of the Devil to be Lunatick Blind Lame Dumb Torn c. Why is Christ so Praised for healing such and why appealeth he to his Works against unbelievers 11. If it be no hurt to be mad what is Bedlam good for Or to be tormented with Stone Collick Convulsion or any Disease why will these Phanaticks seek to Physicians use Medicines and groan in Pain Possidonius would confute his Tongue by a sower-face or a groan when he said O Pain thou shalt not make me confess that thou art malum ill or bad 12. Why do we not take up with the three first Petitions in the Lords Prayer if our own Interest be not next to be regarded and prayed for 13. Why pray we for our daily Bread if there be no hurt to want it or for the pardon of sin if punishment be impossible or hurt not or against temptations and the evil one and evil things if they be no such 14. Should none pray but Reprobates if others have no hurt to deprecate 15. Why should we compassionate the poor or sick if sin do no hurt to them 16. Why do men Plow and Sow and Labour and Eat if Famine hurt not and Labour do no good because Christ hath done all 17. Why do Ministers Preach so much against sin if it can do no hurt 18. What is it that we are to repent of if sin do no hurt 19. Why must fasting and watchfulness and resisting temptations be used against Lust and other sin if it can do no hurt 20. What is Baptism the Lords Supper Confession and Absolution then for 21. Why then should we exhort each other daily lest any be hardened by this deceitfulness of sin 22. Why is he called Least in the Kingdom of God who breaketh the least Commandement and teacheth men so 23. Why is the Education of Children so great a Duty and he that spareth the Rod hateth his Child if sin will do them no hurt 24. What is God's Governing Justice good for in punishing sin if it hurt not 25. Why must Rulers be Just and a Terrour to them that do evil if sin do no hurt 26. How can that hurt any other Elect Person that hurteth not the sinner himself 27. Why is it worse to be cast into the Sea with a Mill-stone for scandalizing the least if that scandal cannot hurt them 28. Why do Libertines labour to escape Prisons Banishments Fines or Hanging for sin if it can do them no hurt 29. Why is man's nature afraid of Devils and the Serpents seed if they cannot hurt us 30. Why hurt we others by Self-defence and War if nothing can hurt us 31. Why hath God put Fear into our Nature if nothing can hurt us 32. Was it no hurt to the Elect to be long the Devil's Servants and to have our Conversion so long delayed as with many it is 33. Is sin worse than suffering if it can do no hurt 34. Is it no hurt to live and dye in terrible fear of Gods displeasure and in doubts of our everlasting state 35. Is it no hurt to have Faith Love Desire and Joy weak and to have still the remnants of unbelief and other such like sins 36. Is it no hurt to lose some degrees of Love and Holiness which we have had 37. Is it no hurt accordingly to have the less of Glory in Heaven 38. Why are these men for Separation and Church-Discipline if sin do no hurt 39. Why pray they for Reformation and Church-prosperity and the Thousand Years Glorious State if sin be so harmless a thing 40. If all that Christ Merited be really the Elects immediately on his purchase are not all the Elect in Heaven already yea before they had any being whence then is all the gross Ignorance and Errour and blind Defence of Satans falsehoods under the Name of Christ and Truth Why censure they Conformists and others that differ from them If all that Christ hath be already ours and we are as perfect as he what can Duty or more Grace or Heaven add to us And why would they have men read their Books to do no good and avoid no evil Is it to make up any imperfection in the Obedience or Righteousness of Christ 41. Did Christ redeem us from under his own Government and the Law of Grace Are we not under the Law of Christ and Faith and Liberty to Christ Or is there any transgression if no Law Or is it Law that we shall not be Ruled and Judged by 42. Is it no greater Mercy and Grace to make us like our Saviour in Holiness and Gods Image and the Divine Nature than not Are Christ's Graces his dishonour 43. Is it not a vile abuse of his Grace to contemn it because it is our own And to take Righteousness to stand against Free Grace if it be but our own And to pervert Pauls Words that accounted as dung his own Righteousness which he sets in competition or opposition to Christ calling it that Righteousness which was of Moses Law when at the same Word he sets against it a Righteousness also made his own which is by the Faith of Christ Could Christs Righteousness Justify us if it were not in some kind of Causality meritorious material or formal made our own Can an Accident of another Subject be an Accident of us And will not distinct personality continue to Men as well as to Angels for ever We abhor the thoughts of any Righteousness that is of our own possessing or working otherwise than as given and wrought in us by the Merits of Christ and the Free Gift of undeserved Grace or any that must not by the same Divine Power and Grace be continued And all that pretendeth to the least part of the Office or Performance of Christ but only what he freely giveth and which advanceth the Honour of his Merits and Love and tendeth to Please and Glorify God and attain the designed End of Redemption and Salvation AS to the Twelve Names that are prefixed to the Book I leave it to themselves to speak their own Cause Only I can say that one of them taketh the Words if mean't as they are written and indeed inculcated to overthrow Christianity and Humanity And I doubt not but some of the rest are of the same mind and had not read the Book or the Preface so as to know what was in them FINIS THE CONTENTS CHAP. 1. Prefatory page 1. Chap. 2. An hundred of their Errors described p. 6. Chap. 3. To moderate the over-hot Censurers of their Persons p. 38. Chap. 4. Reasons for present forbearing a tedious Confutation of them as being fully and often done by me already and as further needless p. 58. Post-script p. 65. Three BOOKS Lately Published by Mr. BAXTER and Printed for Tho. Parkhurst 1. ENglish Non-Conformity as under King CHARLES the Second Truly Stated and Argued 2. Knowledge and Love 3. Cain and Abel THE Vanity of Continuing Ceremonies in the Worship of GOD by a Minister of the Church of England An Healing Attempt Conscience Satisfied in Submitting Obedience to King WILLIAM and Queen Mary